Published 12/07/2011 By
JazzTimes

The Philadelphia Jazz Scene

Roundup of the local jazz scene

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Philadelphia has an historic yet somewhat complicated relationship with jazz. Many of the great bebop players came of age in the city, including John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, the Heath Brothers, McCoy Tyner, Benny Golson, Reggie Workman, Kenny Barron, Bobby Timmons, Shirley Scott, Philly Joe Jones and many more. The area also boasts an impressive list of more modernist jazz talents such as the Brecker Brothers, Stanley Clarke, Victor Bailey, Jaco Pastorius, Grover Washington, Jr., Alphonse Johnson, Christian McBride, Jamalaadeen Tacuma, Joey DeFrancesco, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Uri Caine and many more. And several seminal figures in avant garde jazz such as Sun Ra, Sunny Murray and Byard Lancaster had roots in the area music scene. Even two of the notable jazz producers, Joel Dorn and Michael Cuscuna, got their start in Philadelphia.

However, nearly every one of the aforementioned musicians moved out of town to make their mark in the national scene and thereafter would only come back for gigs or to see family. Less than two hour drive from New York City, Philadelphia has always had a bit of an inferiority complex in large part because of that frequent migration of talent and in part because of the magnitude of the Big Apple jazz scene. After all, it can be awkward to boast about local heroes that are no longer local.

This is not to imply that there are not numerous gifted and talented jazz musicians who still perform regularly at area clubs and venues. A regular at Chris’s Café and other venues, pianist Orrin Evans is a great example of an accomplished and gifted jazz artist who remains committed to the area scene, even as his national presence grows. In recent years, Evans has organized several events and projects to recognize the legacy of previous generations of unsung Philly jazz players.

Vocalist Suzanne Cloud has worked hard through her Jazz Bridge organization to not only bolster the scene with a performance series, but also to provide economic support and relief to local musicians in need, in much the same way that the Jazz Foundation of America operates out of New York City. Since the early 80s, drummer Jim Miller has been overseeing the cooperative record label Dreambox Media, which releases albums exclusively from homegrown artists; their catalog now numbers well over 100 titles. And noted artists such as John Blake, Odean Pope and Gerald Veasley continue to call the area home. Philadelphia remains a good place to be from.

Clubs/Venues

With Ortlieb’s and other jazz clubs closing in Philadelphia, Chris’s has become the number one spot for jazz in the area. Performers include a mix of local and national talent. Like many of the Philadelphia jazz spots, Chris’s is as much a restaurant as a nightclub and so the good news is that it is a great place to eat, drink and enjoy jazz. The bad news is that sometimes the din of diners can overwhelm the listening of the serious fans. But the price is always reasonable and the talent strong. And located in the heart of Center City, Chris’s is very accessible by public transportation and just a quick subway trip north from the fabled Philly sports complex. Game, dinner and music. Check.

LaRose Jazz Club

5531 Germantown Avenue

Philadelphia, PA

Sunday Sessions hosted by drummer Rob Henderson. Tony Williams runs a similar ongoing good old-fashioned “jam” series there on Monday nights as well.

Radio Stations/Shows

Public radio station associated with Temple University is the long-time home for jazz on the radio in the Philly area and now features jazz in the evenings. The station is also broadcast on various other signals to stations throughout the Southeastern Pennsylvania area.